focusIR May 2024 Investor Webinar: Blue Whale, Kavango, Taseko Mines & CQS Natural Resources. Catch up with the webinar here.

Less Ads, More Data, More Tools Register for FREE

Pin to quick picksRDSA.L Share News (RDSA)

  • There is currently no data for RDSA

Watchlists are a member only feature

Login to your account

Alerts are a premium feature

Login to your account

UPDATE 2-Shell's Alaska Arctic spill response plan wins court approval

Thu, 11th Jun 2015 21:02

(Adds comment from environmental groups' lawyer, paragraph 11)

By Jonathan Stempel

June 11 (Reuters) - A divided federal appeals court onThursday rejected an effort by a coalition of environmentalgroups to revoke federal approval of Royal Dutch Shell Plc's oil spill response plans related to drilling onAlaska's remote Arctic coast.

By a 2-1 vote, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals saidthe Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, which ispart of the Department of the Interior, acted lawfully inapproving the plans, which relate to Shell oil leases in theBeaufort and Chukchi seas from 2005, 2007 and 2008.

It rejected arguments by environmental groups such as theNational Audobon Society, the Natural Resources Defense Counciland the Sierra Club, that the approval was "arbitrary" and"capricious," based on Shell's unsupported assumption that itcould recover 90 percent to 95 percent of any oil spilled.

Many environmental advocates oppose drilling in the Arcticon concern that any spill might prove difficult to clean up.

Shell hopes to resume Arctic fossil fuel exploration as soonas next month, having put it on hold following a mishap-laden2012 drilling season.

The company, with offices in London and the Hague, wonfederal approval in early 2012 for its spill plans, which itupdated after the April 2010 explosion of the Deepwater Horizonrig in the Gulf of Mexico. That disaster has cost rival BP Plc tens of billions of dollars.

Writing for the 9th Circuit majority, Circuit JudgeJacqueline Nguyen said the BSEE lacked discretion to rejectShell's plans because they complied with federal oil pollutionlaws.

She also said Shell never made, and the BSEE did not relyon, an assumption about the company's ability to clean up oil.

Circuit Judge Dorothy Nelson dissented, faulting the BSEE'sfailure to consult with environmental agencies to ensure Shellcomplied with laws protecting endangered species and habitats.

Thursday's decision upheld an August 2013 ruling by ChiefJudge Ralph Beistline of the federal court in Anchorage.

Holly Harris, a lawyer for Earthjustice representing theenvironmental groups, said the "troubling" decision "puts theArctic Ocean at risk from Shell's drilling." She urged thegovernment to reject Shell's drilling plans.

Shell spokesman Curtis Smith called the decision "welcomenews," adding: "We look forward to receiving the remainingpermits necessary to commence exploration activities offshoreAlaska in the weeks to come."

The U.S. Department of Justice, which defended the BSEEapproval, did not respond to a request for comment.

The case is Alaska Wilderness League et al v. Jewell et al,9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, No. 13-35866. (Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by AlanCrosby and Grant McCool)

More News
16 Dec 2021 22:13

UPDATE 2-Royal Dutch Shell confirms delay in sale of Texas refinery to Mexico's Pemex

(Adds approval expected by Jan. 13)By Stefanie Eschenbacher and Erwin SebaMEXICO CITY/HOUSTON, Dec 16 (Reuters) - Royal Dutch Shell on Thursday confirmed a Reuters report that the sale of its controlling interest in a Texas refinery to Mexican stat...

Read more
16 Dec 2021 14:42

Latin American oil auctions kick off after two-year lull

* 11 firms registered to bid in Brazil's auction on Friday* Competition expected to be fiercest since 2018* Seven Latin American nations to hold auctions in 2022-2023By Marianna Parraga and Sabrina ValleHOUSTON, Dec 16 (Reuters) - Latin America's oil...

Read more
15 Dec 2021 12:16

Five companies seek to develop CO2 storage off Norway

OSLO, Dec 15 (Reuters) - Five companies have applied to build carbon dioxide (CO2) storage on the Norwegian continental shelf, the country's oil and energy ministry said on Wednesday.The ministry proposed in September two offshore areas, one in th...

Read more
15 Dec 2021 10:10

UPDATE 2-FTSE dips as inflation surges to 10-year high

(For a Reuters live blog on U.S., UK and European stock markets, click LIVE/ or type LIVE/ in a news window)* IAG down on plans to cancel Air Europa acquisition* Rentokil falls for second day on M&A plans* Inflation jumped to 5.1% in Nov vs. 4.2% in...

Read more
15 Dec 2021 09:33

LONDON BROKER RATINGS: BofA starts Pod Point at Buy; Barclays cuts DCC

LONDON BROKER RATINGS: BofA starts Pod Point at Buy; Barclays cuts DCC

Read more
14 Dec 2021 09:40

LONDON BROKER RATINGS: JPMorgan raises Experian, cuts BAE Systems

LONDON BROKER RATINGS: JPMorgan raises Experian, cuts BAE Systems

Read more
13 Dec 2021 16:10

UK dividends calendar - next 7 days

UK dividends calendar - next 7 days

Read more
13 Dec 2021 11:48

Brazil's oil regulator approves Mero oilfield production agreement

SAO PAULO, Dec 13 (Reuters) - Brazilian state-run oil company Petrobras said on Monday that the country's oil regulator ANP has approved a production agreement for the Mero oilfield, deciding on which stake of its oil and gas output will be hold ...

Read more
13 Dec 2021 10:16

UPDATE 2-Energy, bank stocks drag London's FTSE 100; Omicron fears weigh

(For a Reuters live blog on U.S., UK and European stock markets, click LIVE/ or type LIVE/ in a news window)* Purplebricks plunges after delaying results* SThree drops as CEO steps down* FTSE 100 down 0.8%, FTSE 250 off 1.2% (Updates to close)By Ba...

Read more
13 Dec 2021 07:22

Qatar Energy acquires 17% stake in Shell-operated concessions in Egypt

DUBAI, Dec 13 (Reuters) - Qatar Energy will acquire a 17% stake in two Shell-operated concessions (Block 3 and Block 4) in Egypt's Red Sea region, Shell Egypt said on Monday.Shell will remain the main operator of the concessions, Shell Egypt's st...

Read more
12 Dec 2021 14:00

Activist group targets Exxon with shareholder climate resolution

* Follow This targets Exxon for first time* Dutch group also targets other energy companiesBy Ron Bousso and Sabrina ValleLONDON, Dec 12 (Reuters) - Climate activist group Follow This targeted Exxon Mobil Corp with a shareholder resolution urging i...

Read more
10 Dec 2021 23:26

UPDATE 1-Shell restarting Louisiana refinery crude unit after repairs from Hurricane Ida -sources

(Adds no reply from company)HOUSTON, Dec 10 (Reuters) - Royal Dutch Shell Plc was restarting on Friday the crude distillation unit (CDU) at its 230,811 barrel-per-day (bpd) Norco, Louisiana, refinery after completing repairs from Hurricane Ida, sa...

Read more
10 Dec 2021 20:44

Shell restarting Louisiana refinery crude unit after repairs from Hurricane Ida -sources

HOUSTON, Dec 10 (Reuters) - Royal Dutch Shell Plc was restarting on Friday the crude distillation unit (CDU) at its 230,811 barrel-per-day (bpd) Norco, Louisiana, refinery after completing repairs from Hurricane Ida, said sources familiar with pl...

Read more
10 Dec 2021 16:57

Can we still be friends? Shell sends Dutch PM parting note

By Toby SterlingAMSTERDAM, Dec 10 (Reuters) - On the day that shareholders of Royal Dutch Shell PLC voted to move the company's headquarters to London https://www.reuters.com/markets/europe/royal-dutch-shell-plc-shareholders-set-approve-move-london...

Read more
10 Dec 2021 15:29

Belarus oil firm cancels 2022 exports to Germany after EU sanctions - traders

MOSCOW, Dec 10 (Reuters) - Belarusian oil company Belorusneft has cancelled its 2022 export plans to Germany via the Druzhba pipeline following new European Union sanctions on the company, three traders familiar with the matter said on Friday.On ...

Read more

Login to your account

Don't have an account? Click here to register.

Quickpicks are a member only feature

Login to your account

Don't have an account? Click here to register.